By Gordon Durich
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/24/25 – Nine years ago, filmmaker Justin Schein started working on a documentary about estate tax. The catalyst was his father Harvey Schein, record company CEO, who was determined to endow his heirs financially, by avoiding paying taxes.
“Money is the last taboo- talking about it,” Justin said by phone from New York. “It was a very personal story,” he said of the result, which is the film “Death and Taxes.”
As a new father himself at the time of pre-production, Schein was forced to take stock of his own financial legacy.
With over three decades of documentary filmmaking under his belt, Schein, also a producer and cinematographer, “Death and Taxes” is a study of the U.S.’ long problematic tax benefits for the wealthy issue.
“Estate tax is for the richest of the rich- 0.2 percent will be filed for decedents.”
Although it has a political undertone, “Death and Taxes” is not intense. “I know it has to be character-driven,” Schein noted, of documentary film.
Social issues also have been explored under his Shadowbox Films banner, including “Left on Purpose,” about a friendship with an aging anti-war activist, which garnered film festival awards internationally.
This Brooklynite said his brother and mom have been “very supportive since “Death and Taxes” is an expose.
Dealing with the universal issues of paternalism and tax levies.
“Death and Taxes” opens July 25, and runs July 25- 31, with a Q and A, happening July-27, at Laemmle Royal, Los Angeles.
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For tickets visit www.laemmle.com
